Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends remain as popular as ever, loved by millions all over the world. Now rediscover the classic stories about the world's best-loved tank engine with these stunning new hardback editions of the original 'Railway Series'.

In Thomas the Tank Engine, Thomas runs up and down the track, but all he really wants is a branch line of his own...

Thomas the Tank Engine has been delighting generations of children for over 70 years. It all began as a story made up by the Reverand W. Awdry to entertain his son when he had measles. Now millions of people across the world have grown up with the tales of Sodor Island, enchanted by the adventures of Thomas and his friends, Percy, Gordon, and Toby, and all the other engines that work on the Fat Controller's railway.

Have you collected all the adventures in the Railway Series?

Thomas the Tank Engine

Troublesome Engines

James the Red Engine

Tank Engine Thomas Again

The Three Railway Engines

Also look out for the Railway Series Boxed Set

The Thomas the Tank engines stories were created by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry, who was born in Hampshire in 1911. He grew up close to the railway and was convinced that the steam engines all had different personalities. He used to imagine conversations between them. Later when he was grown up and his son Christopher became ill with measles, Wilbert told stories Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends to entertain him. Christopher asked for more and more stories and Wilbert began writing them down. The first of the Railway Series books was published in 1945, and Awdry wrote 26 Railway books in total before his son, Christopher, took over the series. There have since been multiple, hugely popular, Thomas the Tank Engine TV series and films.